OPHONALFORM No.10 MAY l962 EDITION GSA GEN. REG. NO. 27 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 5010-!06 Screened By: NARA Date: 10-30-2014 DOCID270000400 Memorandum TO SAC (15?m1423) DATE 10/2/68 FROM SA WILLIAM E. sumECT: BLACK UNITED-FRONT (EMF), aka. 1RM On 9/11/68 ME 338~R(Ghetto) orally adeised SA WILLIAM LAWRENCE that at the Black Upited Front meeting held at Cleybern Temple, 280 Hernando, on the ?ight of 9/10/68, about 200 to 250 persons were present. The meeting was the a an 8 EB a an dominated by Black Organizing Project (BOP) and its cell, Invaders. Invedere there were'as follows}; 0. 157m1423 (EMF) 17euee Sub (ME 338ER(GhetEb 157m1067 (BOP) - 157m556 (Possible Racial Violence, Major-Urbaanreas) 157=1312 (Black Knights) 7 157WNEW (TIGER, Teeneeseans Interested in 157m166 (SOLO) 157m957 SMITH) 100m4528 (CHARLES Lo CABBAGE) Equgi Rights) ?1 .. (Bf? 100?4579 (GALVIN L. ,4 157m953 (BOBBY DOCTOR) 1 157-1205 (Black.Panther Party) 1 157w1258 WATSON, aka.) 1 - 157? (MELVIN SMITH) 1 157u1019 (CHARLES HARRINGTON) 1 157? (JOHN GARY WILLIAMS) 1 157m1116 (VEREELL BROOKS) 1 a 1579 (JOHN W. WHITE) 1 157a1173 (OREE MC KENZIE) 1 - 157~1372 (JEWELL DAVIS) 1 a 157m (NEWBERN ROCKS) 157=1365 (IDA BALLARD) 1 a (EMMETT HOUSE) 1 157-1133 (CEDRIC MOORE) 1 a 157m (END TATE, eonfof ELLIS TATE) 1 a 157m1125 (JOHN HENRY FERGUSON) 1 a157?1275 (ERIC HDLMAN) 1 a 157a-? (REGINALD FERGUSON) 1 a DAVIS) a 157m1349 (WILLIE ROGERS) 1 - 157e1467 (JUANITA TENSLEY) 1 157m1000 (JAMES E, PHILLIPS) - - TENSLEY) 1 157e1341 (ISSAC HAYES) 1 157m1292 (WARREN LEWIS) WHL:gmh 9 1 a 157m (MARION COLLINS) (41) 1 15?a (WINSTON BENNETT) - - 15?a1398 (CHRIS A0 TURNER) - 1 I 1 NW: 8491 70000400 Page 15 :Relatibge) . Council on Human ME 157m1423 I MWEBOSMMH L, CABBAGE CHARLES BALLARD LANCE WATSQN, aha "Sweet Willie Wine" CHARLES HARRINGTON VERDELL BROOKS OREE MGKENZIE NEWBERN ROCKS EMMETT HOUSE MARRELL MCCULLOUGH (whe lives at the Lorraine Hotel) ti? ?n brother FERGUSON WELLKE ROGERS Ea PHILLIPS Alec were a lot of the Invaders girls, Several Blaeh Khights were present, including the fellewing: ISAAC HAYES - WAYNE or WINSTON BENNETT, the Black Knights treasurer WARREN LEWIS, Black Knights Chairman MARVIN COLLINS CHRIS A9 TURNER BOBBY DOCTOR of the U. S. Civil Rights Commission Office was thereg FRANK male Negro, Deputy U. S, Marshal? came, and the Invaders "hooted" him and he left, He acted silly and tried to tell them he was with the Afroa Americah Police Officers Association, One or two Negro school principals were there, including GEQRGE COX of Walker School; Negro Attorney GEORGE BROWN, of Attorney H, A, LATTINQ was there, Some of the ?Young Turk" SCLC people were there. One FNU SUTTON of the SOLO who is Small in build, drives a black Chevrolet Camera, ?ne-who went to Memphis State University (MSU) for two years, claimed to have knowledge of the New York teachers etrihe,' People were there from WOMEN, Unity League, and one woman claiming to be from ?the NAACPQ WOMEN peeple included Mrs. RONALD CATRON and one woman whoee maiden name was HUBBARD, . 55555 w. m.2? NW: 8491 DocId: 70000400.Page 16 ME 15?m1423 was LANCE WATSON ("Sweet Willie Wines) who spoke of the need for BUF and said the United States is snending billions in Vietnam and noneibr the poor blacks in the United Skatesa He said money spent on napalm should be spent for the poor blacks in the United Statesg He bragged the liquor store at Trigg and Florida was too close to a church and the Invaders put it out of business, . ESEAC HAYES oi the Black Knights Spoke, He was extremely militantS warned all sresent not to take notes? and allowed no pictures taken? He cursed the white power-structure claiming it was keeping blacks in slavery. He mimicked the white man, Santa Slang, and Tarzan ass symbols of the white ease? He said the whites did nothing for blacks until a ion hrave blanks used Molotov cocktails and broke a few windows? He said this is the only way to fight "Whiteygw me said ?We have to where it hurts, in his pocketnoon mm have to get control of the dollarq?. HAYES introduced Black Knights Treasurer WINSTON or WAYNE BENNETT. Later he said the Black Knights had been visiting black churchesg seeking support but too many ministers and deacons were afraid of then? BENNETT said the Negroes working at Firestone feel they are being discriminated against- and many of them are Biack Knights?_ They plan-a-big boycott? of Firestone retail stores. He said Firestone has no black gnards at the gates? no Negroes in the personnel office,'nonwv Negroes in skilled jobs and also he claimed blacks are kept in menial jobs? have prejudiced white supervisors, and segregated rest rooms and cafeterias. He said a Federal man from Birmingham loosed into the complaints and said it would take 16 to 18 months to correct itq He said there was no alternative to a boycott of Firestone stores and stores selling Firestone products, (ENE) SUTTON9o1aiming to be a representative of SCLC, told the audience that Atlanta Esadquarters_of SCLC would _n use its "Operation Breadbasket" program to help the boycott; 0' NW: 8491 70000400 Page 17 9 ME 157-1423 JOHN B, and stated all Invaders were ready to go to jail? if necessary# as many times as necessary, provided they can be bondechr He claimed the Memphis Police, Department illegally raided his apartment on 8/2/68 and said if the guns had been found the Police Department would have killed the Invaders? He said the recent?arrests of JOHN FERGUSOND CREE MC KENZIE, JOHN Bq SMITH were intimidation6 He said it is up to other black groups to support them.g SMITH addedp'?ll must realise there?s a violent revolution in this country? black versus white,? - The guards would net let shi?e male BAKTON BRYANT, Executive Secretery ef the Tennessee of Human Rele?iuus, into the meeting; in sect, they gee mad at some black girls who put their arms eseund No offieisi regreseutetiues were there from COME or NAACP9 WINE or BALLARD claimed hieek history is not being taught in public schoolsF essecielly revolutionary history.g CABBAGE and BALLARD did nostalk, No moderates talked? R5 CarVer Junior High art teacher, and Carver Assistant Basketball Cuaeh (FNU) BYRD, were theref as was one FNU JOHNSON, Principal of Lester Elementary School. SUTTON of SCLC nominated JOHN so SMITH as temporary Chairman but it was tabled? CALVIN TAYLOR, "Commercial Appeal" reporter and Invaders Sympathizer, was there? EDWINA HARRELL is quiet and subdued since her two recent arrests and is back living with her parentsq Informant furnished literature distributed at the meeting entitled "Black United Front? Where We Go From_Here," and "Statement of Purpdse for the Black Organizing Project's Request of Curriculum Changes," Xerox COpies of this are being attached to cepies of instant memorandum for 157m1423 (BUF), 157_1067 (30P)g 157u1205 (Black Panthers). 157_1258 (LANCE WATSON), 157-957 (JOHN Ba 157~1312 (Black Knights), 157m166 (CHARLES NW: 8491 DocId: Fouubx7ylb) 9 ME 157a1423 on 9/11/68 cdirobeteted ie deteii all of the above information In L150 furnished copies of' the above?described documents,/ He added the following additional informationy? 'He said BUF is demanding an AfrouAmerican Teachers Union. He recalled that WILLIE WINE said if all black groups would back the Invaders, the Invaders would not have to shoot and burn as they/have been doing, He said ISAAC HAYES said would "run MemphisVand they will not let any black ministers come in and take over as they had done in . (1 added that CHRIS A, TURNER, male Wegro, announcer for recently a Black Knight? Spoke, He said he represented a new group called TIGER, which he said is a violent gross; He said the police have threatened him but this did not scare him, He said the police took his "young America Sneaks"jptogram from him, with the cOOperation of WDIA Manager BERT BERGUSDN and said FERGUSON got mad after he had the Invaders on his.pr0grem. He let BERT FERGUSON fool you; that he is probably a GEORGE WALLACE supporter," JTURNER claimed FERGUSON claimed'TURNER's life had been threatened and this was why his pregrem was being taken off, TURNER Said he was going to become more militant. One woman in the'andience said blacks should boycott One woman from WOMEN said some school chi?ren in Marks, Mississippi, had been arrested, She wanted finanCial donam tions for them. fThe Invaders said they needed money (meaning the InvaderS); she said SCLC would help them, CABBAGE also Spoke, explaining BUF would unite the entire black community. He wanted to set up officers, They badly need a meeting place and went to get a germanent building, CABBAGE and JOHN B. SMITH urged all to go to Carver High school at 3:30 9/11/68, to pull all black students out of School in defiance of Principal R, B. THOMPSON, They said THOMPSON is not only one at fault as some of the/teachers are the ones who teke the kids to the office, SMITH said if Carver burns,BUF or BOP or the Invaders will be blamed. . added that Invaders passed out egplicetion blanks at the meeting. NW: 8491 DocId: 70000400 Page 19 0 - (0) ME 157u1423 In addition to t?ase prosent, identified by ME 338 set out above, tho following were there: VERDELL BROOKS CHARLES HARRINGTON MELVIN SMITH RICHARD CABBAGE JOHN GARY WILLIAMS JEWELL DAVIS IDA BALLARD Also present wore the twin 15m16 year old girls who live on Texas Street, .After the meeting IDA BALLARD left with GEORGE R, JOHN W, WHITE, tho Arkansas teacher and close friend of CABBAGE, was there, He came late and has a mustache and goatoo, is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 165u170.pounds, and hag a light complexion, GEORGE or BISHOP TROTTER of SOLO was there, girl friend, name not known, tooangtg?wWWHUNT also took notes, Another SCLC person called ?Brother? CEDRIC MOORE was there, He is darkmcomplexioned, woarg dark glasses, is 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 135a140 pounds, is 24m25 years, and has promised help from SCLC in Atlanta, NW: 8491 DocId: 70000400 Page 20 0 . ME 157a1423 ?0 . 1 added that en Me?dey night, September 9, 1968, a smal er BUF meeting was held at Clayborn, They called for an AfromAmerieen Teachers Union and asked that all students and teachers join JAMES E, PHILLIPS, LANCS WATSON, and JOHN SMITH did most of the talking. They all talked aiong the theme that the BUF and Invaders have tojget police and black "Uncle Toms" and need to get rid of the rundown buildings by bunaing if necessary, 5 Among those present we?e the following: JOHN SMITH LANCE WATSON, eke NWillie Wine" JAMES E0 PHILLIPS 5 CREE MC KENZJIE VERDELL BROOKS ls ERIC SOLMAN CHARLES HARRINGTON 3 CHARLES BALLARD ,x MELVIN SMITH JOHN HENRY FERGUSON 2* REGINALD FERGUSON 5 MARRELL MC x? LARRY LARUE DAVIS 3 JSWELL DAVIS lx/ TENSLEY and TENSLEY Also present were teo?femele twinea I4u15 years of age. with natural hairf/ Carver teacher GEORGE e. HUNT and THOMAS VANN and a teacher named MALONE were thereq Later on said that no one showed up at Carver High on 9/12/68, NW: 8491 DocId: 70000400 Page 21 iTo SUB JECT 5010?106 .1 OPYIONAI. EORM NO. 10 MAY 1962 EDITION GSA GEN. REG. N0. 27 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT Memorandum SAC (157?1838) DATE. 4/2/69 WILLIAM H. LAWRENCE LUTHER KING, ASSASSINATION, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE '4/4/69 RM On the late afternoon of 3/26/69 ME 338-R 'advised-that a planning meeting relative to the proposed commemoration of the assassination of Dr. MARTIN LUTHER Memphis, Tenna, 4f4f69, scheduled mass'march, was held at the Lorraine Hotel and Motel, 406 Mulberry, Memphis. on the night of 3/25/69, attended by various leaders, including the SCLC President RELEH DAVID RH 3491' ,and I 0. W. PICKETT and JESSE EPPS, along with some of the local representatives of COmmunity on the Move for Equality (COME), a group of Negro ministers .headed by Rev. JAMES MORRIS LAWSON, JR., BELL, H. RALPH JACKSON, Director of MinimUM'Salary Division, 4 157-1838 170-70 Sub (ME 338mR) - 157?556 (Possible Racial-Violence; 157-1067 (Invaders)- 157?1423 (BUF) .-~15751516 Local 1733)' 'w 157~1312 (Black Knights). (7) Major-Urban Areas) (m (MAURICE (DONALD PIGFORD) (CHARLES L. CABBAGE) (ROY LEE TURKS) (JOHN CHARLES SMITH) (CARL Se 157ul776 (CURTIS DAVIS) 157 1564 (LOUIS WELCH) . i- 1575943 (BOBBY 157-166 (SCLC) e? 157m1857 (MARK - 66-1687 Sub A (Dissemina?on) . (22) JprJ_// ?_157-1351 157?1647 100?4528 157?1553 157~1626 _'157?1745 JHED 3196i) Page 25? -RWE a? th% F?d?rm?iW? m? Sia a ?aunt? gm? mania: 'aay??mm?g Lmaai ?marimam mmi?iy tn ?g?k Wi?h??h? varimu% fgrgup? Em W?mifv thaw mm?-mmify ?h?m and i g??i?jm?i? ?hfl J1 ta ha ??nw 'Ei?m rt .g For 4% :33 W131 rijgr mm vi?nnimg Wing at .H a. Ehag gy. 5ag.%u? {a ?n .Amm ?at: a Ea Ex immiwv fa?W@i .x L.) m; at 54m? 1 ?ia? ?uifgt? :5 ma?a a mi ?g wmma? i?mn@mt?? t?a :fuup aiity M?w ik?i m?t?ti?f ?if th? Vf?t?v?? mi the Envadg .31?ng magi 5; 13? Wh?? mama a? i?a - Hm? amd aim inva?g? th? timg_, .Wi?h RNEWH DEVEW Wh?? hgd'?miy tam mina- havin in ?im?ugt th? ?g imf?fm??t it WE ta bia?km? 132% ?ikg? in him? tram?wirxng; ha? th? ?hgy ?urimg H?m?hi?, -@mmhy ,Ue &.ai gaing km g?'w @mmg ba?k mad 'ifqu 9mg; githmugh'th? ?m?mrmant thj? i? mm wig vmmfuaiwnn K?rt am 31 mini} HE 3431' DunId:5916T951 Page 253 '0 GHERLES CABBAGE interrupta? the m?eting by ?aying that the Inva?grg had 35 of'their membars wha had haen jailad in regent manth? carrying nut the work for tha- black pawer peaple and that they had been intimidated to know and by th@ M?mphi? Police Departmentg yet tha bia?k lead?rg rgpresantad by thoae pre?ant today had dang nothing for "u5? (the Invadar$)? - Informant pointa? out that unfar?unately none 0f tha leader? inclu?ing JACKSON, HOOKS, and LAWSON, had ?he gutg to confront the Invaders by pointing out that the arreatg af thair had all been. '-iegitimat@ an variaus Sericua ?riminal charges? He ?ta?ad that he, in fact? tald R?v? LAWSON that it appaarg? they wgra tea l?nignt with tha Invadars and the informant f??lg that Negro leadar? repre?enting COME mad Eng Union and SCLC are actually pnygieally afraid ?f acme of the Inva?erg, He gtated that PIGFORD3 MAURICE LEWIS and CHARLES CABBAGE openly thr?atened a breach of peace on 4f4f69, indiea?ng that if the SCLC did not gag fit to meet with them an& meat.their demandg that they would ?ee to it that Memphi? had a riot on ?f4f6?g Informant fwho many of the Invadera pgrganaliy $tatad that in big mpininn they wera mgrely bluffing and mmuthing.off ?althaugh he felt that waople Such a3 Judge HOOKS ghould have Gall?d the Invaderg t0 t?ak at that paint? I The Black Knightg apparently ware Qriginally "undeci?ed a3 to what to do but are naw in'the "middle" .?in that they ware axcluded from th@ meeting and informant 'fa@1? that ?ome of the Black Knights? not all 0f them, will form a caalition with tha Invaders in an effort to bring prasgure to hear an SCLC and Local 1733, painted out that JESSE EPPS at one point told PIGFORD an? MAURICE LEWIS that after all they ??h?u1d_not @Xp??t ton mueh in tha farm 0f money from th? march leaders, be?auaa Local 1733 and COME W@ra cupmantly paying thgir rent and utilitieg and thna Bill for the Invad@rs at their headquarters at 271 Van?e av&nueo 3491 Page 269 -HH B491 0 0 15?m1838 In tn SCLC Officials, inaiuding wha 1% th@ n?w Caar?in?tcr mi Aetivitie? for SCLC: Rev ?Little Jagug?: and WILLIE BOLDEN wara prg?antc BOBBY DOQTOR, an 3f tha Civil Rightg Buildingg Mamphi?, Tenna?aeaggwag and later with EGMQ 0f the SCLC -$taff t0 tm? Invadar? haadguart?r?? at abaut 4:39 pgm?, in ?an effort to pacify thamg Infarmant p?i?t?d nut that the Invad?rg, hea?@d by LEWIS W?r? at the tim@ ha talked tn the writer in tha 0f pyeparing a hata sheet in Whi?h thgy claimad thay Wmuid denaungg RELPH Rev, JAMES and athargz Wmui? promi?e ta ?ygatg disruptinn and gaggibly gitua?imn? an Qf?f?gg aad that infarmant had laarn?d an gaod autharity that LEWIS WELGH ha? sent an Invadgr? mambar galled r?cent fram jail, t0 prneurg ph?i?gf?ph? ?f RALPH JACKSON an? Rev: JAMES LAWSON Whieh th?y intende? ta uge in putting br??hura Gr "throw&wayg" danmun?ing thegg individuai?? Informant added that BOLDEN and BERNARH an? ORENGE pi?nned ma ramaim in Memphi? until 4?4f69. march in an affort ta Coar?inat? tha planning th@reaf but -that Rev; ORANGE pl?n? t9 go to Tuggalaagay Alan, avar tha cf B/?gm??f?g in 0rdgr t0 get married: Tha iden?ity of hi5 1% unknowns Saw tha ymung Nggr?, farmar MSG ?tudent' and fmrmar anli?tee in ?he'us Navy? MERE who 13 now ?ammaet@? in $oma ?apaaity with the wag at th@ Lerraine Hmtal an the night mf ~3f25f693?a1th0ugh SIQGERS ?id mat taka ?ay activa part in thi? mgatinge Inimrmant ?tata? th?t he wmuid try tm k$?p I abrea?t 0f thig ?ituatimn and furnigh any par?inant, to thi? affi?ga I This informatian hag arally bgen ?i?g?minatad tn Lt; Hg ARKIN, Intelligam?? Euraauy Pnlic? m4? DucId:5916T951 Page 2TB $919 Lamit?: 2 I hm; 1y - I-?rgamw?? ma?smutix3491 Page 42 "s - ma mam-Si "tar. get to: rig}: em 51%; ?7 M. . ._7m 3491 Page 43 NH 3491 .f_iw? vacreened By: NARA 3-12-3013 RD 39751 Date: ~15:iiPage 3 .. .. KIM 1953 .. -s OPTIONAL FOIM NO. 10 MAY I962 EDITION 5010-106 - GSA GEN. no. no. :7 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT Memorandum Screened By: NARA Date: 10-30-2014 . To SAC (15751315) DATE: 6/6/69 FROM - WILLIAM . SUBJECT: BLACK STUDENT ASSOCIATION (BSA), I MEMPHIS STATE 5/7/69 advised SA LAWRENCE _as follows:' I I 4" . In receht with pISck Student Associaa tion Memphis State University (MSU), leadergy JAMES. EDWARD is convin??d_?ocg/ 47 .W but'definitely nonviolento . -. In faot? BOBBY DOCTOR of the U0 So Civil Rights. Commission Officeg Memphisg and RONALD LOUIS IVY9 1968 =ue MSU graduate and 1968 Chairman of the Black Organizing PrOJeot are most critical?of/MOCK?S nonviolent-approacho They claim the only manner by-which black students at MSU'can'Wipf . demands-is through the use of violence or threatened violence; A MOCK follows tactics o?xthe late MARTIN LUTHER-KING, JR., whereas DOCTOR and IVY are advocates of violence approach enunciated by the late MALCOLM XOSLITTLEO. - 3 1 - 157~1815 1 170-70 Sub.( - 1 - 157-1069 (RONALD LOUIS EVY) 1 - 157-943 (BOBBY DOCTOR) -1 157-16?7 (DONALD PIGFORD) 1 157u1173 (CREE MC KENZIE) 1 - 100-4528 (CHARLES Lo CABBAGE) 1 HOUSE) 1 157-1116 (VERDELL BROOKS)